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Remember, the easiest way to protect your pets is to keep them away from other pets or anybody presumed to have the virus. Remember, these findings are preliminary, however the lead researcher, cardiologist Luca Ferasin, informed The Guardian that veterinarians should still be aware of the potential hyperlink. The nine dogs—eight Labrador retrievers and one Belgian Malinois—were examined on detecting 4 totally different sorts of coronavirus samples. On five attempts Pets News, the dogs were able to register accuracy rates above 90 percent. According to a study from researchers on the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, canine are very, superb at detecting positive samples of COVID-19. “It is likely that such reports underestimate the true frequency of human‐to‐animal transmission since animal testing is limited and animals with subclinical infections are hardly ever, if ever, tested,” researchers wrote.
- Small animal general drugs practitioner and UC Davis graduate.
- The place of canine in society modified when searching grew to become an aristocratic pastime, quite than a necessity.
- Due to the pandemic, online sales also elevated, accounting for about 16 p.c of retail pet treatment sales.
- Cats contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans can spread it to each other, according to a model new examine printed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Your We Love Pets home sitter shall be there to take care of your pet in addition to look after your house as when you were there. If you’re interested in your pet’s health, we’ve a load of sources that may help. Fun reality – Europe has probably the most energetic canines on the planet, with the fittest canines residing in Switzerland. Doggie daycare generates about $4.5 billion a 12 months, while canine strolling makes roughly $1 billion every year.


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During Activision Blizzard‘s fourth quarter 2021 financial results on Thursday, the publisher confirmed that Infinity Ward will be leading development of the new Call of Duty game that’s set to arrive in 2022. The team – as you’d expect from the cadence and rhythm of the Call of Duty teams at this point – will also work on Warzone content, similarly to how we saw the massive Pacific expansion land alongside Vanguard .
The news comes as Activision Blizzard noted that Warzone has seen “lower engagement” over the past few months compared to previous periods, and neglected to share sales figures for 2021’s Call of Duty title, Vanguard. Call of Duty sales on console and PC have declined year-over-year, up to December 31, too. Though the company noted “player investment” on console and PC remained “well above” that of March 2020, there seemed to be general feeling that Call of Duty has – finally – lost some of its appeal.
To that end, the publisher is doing its best to sell the next game in the series as something of a reinvention, even going as far as to call it “a new generation of Call of Duty“.
“The team is working on the most ambitious plan in franchise history, with industry-leading innovation and a broadly appealing franchise setting,” the company said. “Studio expansion has continued to add development resources worldwide as plans continue for ongoing live operations and new , unannounced titles in the Call of Duty universe.”
We heard recently that top brass at Activision would very much like the days of a new Call of Duty every year to be over, and perhaps this ‘new generation’ would be a platform that would allow that to be the case?
It’s also worth noting that the future of Call of Duty may well be tied to Microsoft’s plans for the franchise – though we know Microsoft has “a desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation”, it stands to reason that the platform holder will want to shape the series in a way that better benefits Game Pass and the Xbox ecosystem in years to come. Xbox wants to recoup on that $68.7 billion, after all.
It’s reported that Call of Duty’s next three games will still come to PlayStation, and that includes a potential Warzone 2 – could that be the ‘new generation’ listed here? It remains to be seen.
Let’s not let any of this distract us from the clouds that hang heavy above Activision Blizzard; more than 20 Activision Blizzard employees have been fired from the company since the ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit was first filed, and the state of California has accused Activision Blizzard of “withholding” and “suppressing” evidence related to the case, and issued a formal objection to Activision Blizzard’s $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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Private equity group Permira has bought a stake of at least 10 percent in payments firm Klarna, one of Europe’s most highly valued tech startups, the companies said on Friday.
Payments companies have become attractive targets for buyout groups and credit card firms seeking to take advantage of a switch from cash transactions to smartphone or mobile payments.
Permira will acquire the Klarna stake from existing shareholders General Atlantic and DST Global, and the Sweden-based firm’s co-founder Niklas Adalberth.
General Atlantic and DST Global will cease to be shareholders in Klarna after the deal, they added in a statement.
Klarna, which says it handles 650,000 transactions per day, got a banking license from Sweden’s financial watchdog last month, two weeks after Anders Holch Povlsen, owner of Danish fashion retailer Bestseller, bought a stake.
Permira’s investment in Klarna follows a move by a consortium of Blackstone and CVC Capital Partners to buy payments processing company Paysafe Group.
Many more deals have been announced over the past month, including French payments specialist Ingenico buying Stockholm-based rival Bambora from Nordic Capital for 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion).
U.S. credit card processor Vantiv made a 7.7 billion pounds bid for Britain’s Worldpay and Danish payment services firm Nets A/S said it had been approached by potential buyers.


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Krafton invests $5.4 million in Real Cricket developer Nautilus
Game publisher Krafton invested $5.4 million in Indian sports mobile game studio Nautilus Mobile for an unspecified stake, the company said on Thursday.
The deal marks the first time that Krafton, the developer and publisher of the Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) franchise, has invested in an Indian game developer.
The Korean company has made a number of investments in Indian tech companies, but never in a game company. In 2021 alone, Krafton invested $80 million in five Indian tech companies.
Founded in 2013, Nautilus Mobile is a sports game developer known for its Real Cricket mobile game. It has been downloaded more than 100 million times worldwide and has more than 10 million monthly active users on average.
JetSynthesys acquired a 100 percent stake in Nautilus Mobile in 2020 and announced that it will also start an online cricket Esports business through Nautilus.
“With the massive adoption of mobile gaming in India, fueled further by the pandemic, the industry has reached an interesting juncture and we are all excited to jet-speed into the future,” said Rajan Navani, Founder & CEO of JetSynthesys and Chairman of Nautilus.
"Krafton has been a key player in the global mobile gaming space and we’re glad to join forces with them to take our Indian studio on to a global stage."
Krafton also opened an Indian branch in November last year and its PUBG Mobile game has been sitting atop India’s mobile games revenue chart since its release in July.
BY YOON SO-YEON [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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Under scrutiny over Russia-linked ads, Facebook cracks down
Facebook is tightening controls over who can advertise on its platform, Reuters reports. Moving forward, content creators and publishers will have to comply with the standards used to evaluate crowdsourced content if they wish to sell ads
Why it matters: The crackdown is a sign that Facebook takes pressure from governments and companies seriously.
The changes come in response to its recent admission to authorities investigating Russia's influence on the 2016 election that they sold thousands of ads likely linked to Russia, many of which were connected to "inauthentic" accounts and Pages.
Lawmakers and interest groups responded to the revelations, as well as a report that Russian operatives used Facebook's events tool to organize and promote political protests in the U.S., by demanding that Facebook and other tech companies testify before Congress. Bloomberg reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe has a "red-hot" focus on social media.
Facebook's COO, Sheryl Sandberg addressed other concerns Wednesday, like inaccurate media measurement and unsafe content on its platform. Speaking at a conference in Germany, where lawmakers have been especially aggressive about privacy standards, Sandberg said the company is working to roll out updates to address a range of concerns.
"We hear their concerns about safe environments, about standards, about measurement, and this is critical to us," she said. "We're working hard to roll things out that give you more control over where your ads run, and more knowledge about where your ads run, before, during and after campaign."


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Android's Spread Could Become a ProblemBy
For the mobile-phone software Android, popularity may carry a high price tag. The operating system created by a Google-led consortium is being adopted by a growing number of mobile-phone manufacturers and wireless service providers.
Yet as Android is woven into more phones, developing add-on tools and games and other software-based features for it may become more difficult. "We are very careful about not splintering the code," says Eric Heiser, director of business development at Kyocera Communications, one of the manufacturers that plans to build Android into devices next year. "That's definitely a concern, that's something Google (GOOG) has been talking about every day." What's more, the widening variety of Android devices could have the unintended consequence of confusing consumers and diluting its brand appeal.
Manufacturers, carriers, and developers have grown more concerned about the prospects for Android amid news that the operating system is being adopted by a who's who of wireless players. Motorola (MOT), Samsung, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint Nextel (S) are just some of the companies that have recently become big supporters, joining the ranks of early adopters HTC and T-Mobile USA, owned by Deutsche Telekom (DT). PC giant Dell (DELL) and Sony Ericsson are working on devices based on the operating system.
Possible Splintering of Software Code As many as 20 phones based on Android are likely to be released this year, and Gartner (IT) analyst Ken Dulaney expects to see 40 more devices in 2010. "There's a lot of horsepower behind it," he says. Android's share of the mobile operating system market is expected to skyrocket to 14.5% in early 2012 from 1.6% in the first quarter, he estimates. That would make Android the world's second-most popular mobile operating system, behind the current leader Symbian.
The more wireless service providers behind Android, the greater the likelihood of one-upmanship. Carriers and handset makers are already competing on the look and feel of their Android devices and have begun encouraging third-party developers to tailor applications to work better on their phones, and not those made by others.
A result could be so-called splintering of software code, where developers work on multiple versions of software, rather than contribute collaboratively to a single project. So if programmers want software available on more than one or two phones, they'll have to build multiple versions of it. In the past, developers who wanted to write for such systems as Java and mobile Linux had to create dozens of iterations of a single app if they wanted it adopted widely.
Google may have increased the likelihood of splintering when, on Aug. 21, it said developers can now create games, calendars, and other mobile applications for specific carriers. So an Android app for T-Mobile USA, for example, may not be available to Sprint Nextel subscribers. There's rampant but unconfirmed speculation that developers in China even used Android code to build their own version of the software that's not compatible with the main effort.
Threat of Brand Fragmentation If carriers and handset makers try to make their Android products too unique, developers will have to tweak their apps to work on these devices, and that would make application development for all Android gadgets more expensive and time-consuming. It could reduce the appeal of Android over rivals such as Apple's (AAPL) iPhone, Research In Motion's (RIMM) BlackBerry, and the Palm (PALM) Pre.
Brand fragmentation and consumer confusion is a danger, too. Today, all Android handset makers' phones appear to have different digital menus, look different, and feature varied controls, such as touchscreens and buttons. "Everyone wants to have its own take on the Android device," says Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC. "It could potentially dilute what Android is." The carriers and handset makers have also not come up with a unified way to market these devices under the Android brand. "Each of these [players] may have a different message, and users may not see it as one thing," Dulaney says.
Android backers have tried to avoid splintering by corralling several companies into the Open Handset Alliance. "We are trying to do all we can to make sure fragmentation doesn't happen," says Google spokeswoman Katie Watson. Yet, because thousands of developers, handset makers, and carriers use and contribute to the code, Android is harder to control than rival efforts, such as the software running the iPhone.
Carriers Encouraging Tailored Apps Developers may want to tweak their apps to run well on devices with unique controls and keys, such as the Motorola Cliq, which features a five-way navigation button. Kyocera is working on a phone that's small yet manages to give consumers an opportunity to interact with a large screen (the company won't provide details on the exact design). While apps created for the device should work on other makers' Android phones, "these apps are not as compelling if you don't put them on the right device," says Kyocera's Heiser.
Carriers are encouraging developers to tweak their wares as well. At a developer conference later this month, Sprint Nextel is likely to encourage attendees to create apps that take advantage of features of its wireless network that some other carriers don't offer, says Len Barlik, a Sprint vice-president. For instance, the carrier will tell developers they can collect information on the location of cell towers nearest to a particular phone. The feature would allow apps that depend on precise location information, such as those used for managing corporate truck fleets, to function better on Sprint's network than they would on networks of competitors that don't provide that cell-tower information to applications.
Android has a lot to gain from ending up on a range of devices with a host of applications. But its backers will have to avoid code splintering and brand dilution if they want to reap the benefits.


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International leaders in the business events industry are set to attend a high-level gathering of influencers, policy-makers and business people in Scotland next month.
Leading figures from the global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) industry will fly into the country for the inaugural Business Events Leaders’ Summit.
The one-day conference, hosted by Scottish events industry trade magazine EventsBase, will take place at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow on Wednesday, March 21st.
The summit reflects efforts by MICE professionals to move business events ‘upstream’ in private sector thinking as well as public economic policy-making, a long-standing aim of Business Tourism for Scotland and the national tourism agency, VisitScotland.
It will spotlight how new research is reshaping the industry at a strategic level – placing business events at the heart of development plans for major destinations around the globe.
Leading MICE practitioners and researchers from Australia, Singapore, Ireland and The Netherlands will join a Scottish and UK audience for the event.
Judy Rae, Chair of Business Tourism for Scotland (BTfS), said: “This is an enormously important event on the calendar for Business Events in Scotland and we are looking forward to providing a platform for the very latest in international research, which is driving change in our industry.
“Our national events industry magazine EventsBase has put together a first-class programme, packed full of top-class speakers who will demonstrate how business events are playing an increasingly important part in the wider context of how governments - both national and local - set their economic, social and communities visions.
“We are enormously excited to be welcoming this first event to Glasgow and hope to stimulate some great debate about how Business Events can add value to Scotland PLC.”
The event will showcase the ‘Beyond Tourism’ agenda, which looks to demonstrate the lasting economic and social value of business events to society, and how the real value of business events goes beyond traditional tourism-related metrics, like direct spend on hotels and restaurants. The event will provide a platform for work undertaken by two leading Australian academics, who are influencing how business events are delivered in Sydney and whose work is being showcased as international best practice.
Dr Carmel Foley and Dr Deborah Edwards, from the University of Technology Sydney, will deliver the keynote: The Power of Conferences, Stories of serendipity, innovation and driving social change, named from the title of a book they co-authored in 2017.
The book explores the long-term impacts of conferences and the Associate Professors’ work has been cited as a key influence on the decision of the city to invest $1.5bn (AUS) in the new ICC Sydney convention centre.
The duo are currently collaborating with the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) on the Event Case Study Programme, an international project that is redefining the value proposition of the global business events industry.
They said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be attending the Business Events Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow. It is a brilliant opportunity to meet leaders in the industry including Economic Sector Heads. Forums focused on thought leadership are always great places to be – we are sure there are going to be many ‘ah ha’ moments for those in attendance. What a brilliant initiative from Kevin and the teams at Eventsbase and Business Tourism for Scotland.”
Neil Brownlee, Head of Business Events, VisitScotland, added: “Our own, ‘Legends’, and INNOVATETHENATION campaigns have already shown what can be done to bring greater collaboration between the business events industry and the development of the wider economy. We know that business events are catalysts for economic and social progress. I’m delighted that Scotland is leading and hosting such an exciting new international initiative. I urge all senior leaders interested in the debate about moving our industry further up the economic agenda to attend this Summit.”
Sessions at the event include: ‘The Power of Conferences: Stories of serendipity, innovation and driving social change’, ‘Identifying and Activating Key Markets’, ‘the Makings of a Tech City’ and ‘Developing the Meetings Industry’.
Contributors: Martin Sirk, CEO of ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association); Jeannie Lim, Executive Director Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel division of the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau; John Sharkey, Executive Vice President for Europe for SMG; Neil Brownlee, Head of Business Events at VisitScotland & Board Member, PCMA; Sam Johnston, Manager, Dublin Convention Bureau; Linda Hanna, Managing
Director, Strategy and Sectors, Scottish Enterprise; Tracy Halliwell MBE, London & Partners; Carina Bauer, CEO IMEX Group; Kerrin MacPhie, Head of Business Events, VisitBritain.


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By Mariam Khan
Something that George Orwell didn’t quite anticipate in his fictitious novel, 1984, was the progression of a dystopian surveillance state—amidst a global pandemic. The essence of his book focuses on the watchful eye of the government as it evolved into an authoritarian regime ripe with privacy concerns and human rights violations. Today, as the world faces one of the largest public health crises of the century, countries veer closer to becoming ominous super-surveillance states. Experts warn that the sharp rise in disease surveillance starts a dangerous precedent for the future, making the discussion of privacy concerns more applicable than ever.
In March 2020, as China continued waging its long battle against the coronavirus, they inputted an effective, but controversial contact tracing app required for citizens in more than 200 cities. Coined as the Alipay Health Code, the system granted users codes that spontaneously changed color depending on location and virus exposure. Though the concept sounds phenomenal in keeping the virus at bay, it presents a cause for concern, as the app automatically sent personal data to law enforcement—and this begs the question: what are the implications of police having easy access to citizens’ location data and private information? The mass collection of data by the police may carry unforeseen consequences, especially given that officials can choose bits and pieces of information from one’s data storage site, and use it at random times to incriminate dissenters.
As researcher Maya Wang told The Times, China has a history of using specific events as means of justification for the introduction of surveillance tools, yet usage persists well afterward. Citing the 2008 Olympics, she says that new monitoring tools are consistently introduced for a purpose, but they never leave. “The coronavirus outbreak is proving to be one of those landmarks in the history of the spread of mass surveillance in China,” she said. Wang says that the newly introduced data-sharing and location-grabbing technology that was originally created by the government for the purpose of tracking the coronavirus will be here to stay. In fact, the algorithmic techniques that were used to predict the likelihood of infection are similar to the ones currently being used on the Uyghurs, China’s Muslim ethnic minority. Technology provides scores for individuals that tell officials of their political pliancy and aid in their decision of who should be rounded up into an internment camp.
It’s not just China that has inputted algorithmic contact tracing technology; in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu issued an emergency order and bypassed the standard process of approval to allow the government to use technology to monitor citizen’s cell phones and track those suspected to have the coronavirus. In addressing privacy concerns that arose from the addition of the tracking app, Israel swiftly responded by inputting an oversight committee to balance the necessary public safety with data privacy. Still, the fact that the Prime Minister gracefully advanced surveillance on the Israeli people in a matter of a few days shows how easy it is to use the pandemic as a scapegoat for tightened control.
Reports as of March 2020 show that the 65 contact tracing apps that were in use did not specify how long user data could be stored. Additionally, 49 percent of these apps lacked privacy policies, and others had privacy policies that were completely misleading. For instance, one Canadian contact tracing app claimed that it did not utilize GPS or location tracking, yet when scrutinized further, it subconsciously initiated location permissions for users. What’s more troubling is that half of the apps explicitly state that they will share data with law enforcement agencies, again displaying how companies and governments alike are trying to take advantage of this public health vulnerability.
These apps have brought about much public response from dissidents (at least those who can dissent), as well as those genuinely concerned about the future of democracy when it comes to surveillance states. Ever since Edward Snowden’s incident and before, the issue of surveillance has moved more and more into the global spotlight, but author and activist Arundhati Roy put it best when she told The Guardian that “Pre-corona, if we were sleepwalking into the surveillance state, now we are panic-running into a super-surveillance state.”
Despite the privacy violations, it must be remarked that, around the world, different governments’ use of surveillance technology aimed at containing the virus has been immensely successful. South Korea, which was faced with widespread outbreaks very early on in the pandemic, has observed that information collection has worked to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Contact tracers can see the full train of a person’s movement through the collection of several forms of sensitive data, and this is useful in administering state-mandated quarantines.
Aside from its obvious societal health benefits, the deployment of surveillance technology poses dangerous consequences for the future of democracy. Researchers claim that citizens’ privacy is essential for the prevention of democratic backsliding, because it ensures that states have limitations. When governments know everything about their citizens, this allows them to extend state control beyond moral premises. According to Justice Felix Frankfurter in Wolf v. Colorado, the “security of one’s privacy against intrusion by the police – which is at the core of the Fourth Amendment – is basic to a free society.” Essentially, not only does privacy makes sure that democracy remains authentic, but it also allows for the progression of society, where individuals can think and advocate for themselves. With one-third of the population already living in declining democracies as of 2018, it is necessary to consider the long-term implications of the coronavirus pandemic on politics.
While the world edges closer to the circumstances depicted in 1984, there’s still a long way to go. Constituents and their governments must strive to establish proper surveillance boundaries. Ensuring that both security and privacy can coexist is vital, because as Edward Snowden said, “Privacy is what allows us to determine who we are, and who we want to be.”
By Sarah Ouyang
There are two meanings to the phrase, “We want the same thing.” The first, that we should work together since we aim to achieve the same goal. The second, that you want what I want. The problem is, only one of us can have it. But which one?
In a field where scarcity is the underlying issue of all discussion, the latter meaning of the phrase is much more prevalent than the diplomatic, politics-heavy former. Economics deals with many factors that come in pairs: production and consumption, private and public, regulation and laissez-faire. One of the dilemmas is that of efficient allocation versus profit maximization. Essentially, the distribution of goods and services among the demand population — or of limited resources among suppliers — poses a question to firms (specifically, various levels of monopolies) who favor producing at a different output level than would be optimal.
To be allocatively efficient, a market should ensure that production reaches the output point where the last unit offers the consumer a marginal benefit that equals its marginal cost. In conceptual terms, this means that everyone who values each unit of output as much as it costs to produce that unit should receive their goods and services.
When prices are ubiquitous, which is nearer to reality the more competitive an industry is, this point is easy to pinpoint on the graph yet leaves many unhappy because it becomes extremely difficult to provide goods and services to those consumers who value the products less than the equilibrium price. Considering a monopolistically competitive industry, however, the scenario becomes easier to manipulate and hypothesize with one understandably controversial tool: price discrimination.
To determine the effectiveness of price discrimination, it is necessary to differentiate between three genres of the practice. Third-degree price discrimination is the most intuitive of the three, the type that everyone would imagine when picturing price discrimination. In simple words, different groups of people are charged different prices. The most common example is the movie theater, where tickets for seniors and children are frequently far lower than those for teenagers and adults.
When you cash in a coupon at the local Starbucks that activates a discount as soon as you reach a minimum purchase total, you are experiencing second-degree price discrimination. This type centers around the quantity of goods or services that the customer purchases, which would determine (often rather indirectly) the prices they pay.
First-degree price discrimination is the boldest, a clear discrepancy between prices charged to each individual customer. Such distinguishment often removes the greatest amount of consumer surplus and is usually possible when the firm has access to enormous amounts of consumer data. Airlines, for example, practice what has become known as inter-temporal pricing, a feat made possible by their salience in regards to clientele information. They can easily determine the urgency of ticket buyers based on the proximity of their purchase date to the flight date. (In other words, the later you buy the ticket, the more desperate you seem, and thus more willing — in the airline’s eyes — to pay higher prices.)
Price discrimination is risky. We have given firms the power to charge different consumers different prices, and exploitation is almost inevitable in a system where consumer surplus has been eradicated — hence the apprehensive reference to first-degree price discrimination. However, according to economist Michael Spence in The American Economic Review, firms’ profits should naturally become synonymous with marginal contribution to overall social welfare. In these cases, where private and public benefits coincide, socially optimal production is far more obtainable because selfish incentives lead to publicly beneficial outcomes.
Various factors weigh in on the success of this practice. Problems arise when data on consumer characteristics become unevenly distributed among producers, reducing their ability to make sound economic decisions. Oligopolies are inefficient for this reason; game theory and collusion are damaging for more reasons than one. Barriers to entry and exit of the market are also less sturdy than economic models would theoretically suggest. Regulation from a politically divided government could affect the impacts as well.
In theory, economic models are intrinsically inaccurate and difficult to apply to the real economy. If we are content to ponder the surface before diving in, however, price discrimination has great potential in an economy as profit-driven and (currently) allocatively inefficient as the one in this country. All we need to do is look past the apparent immorality of charging different prices and realize that a universal price tag could very well be just as economically unfair as demanding $450 for a plane ticket that was sold for $300 a week ago.


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Panasonic next week will show «the world’s most compact» version of the GeForce GTX 1080
The manufacturer issued a press release on the new products that will be showcased at CES 2017 next week. The list of new solutions is small, but quite interesting. For example, it appears the GeForce GTX 1080 Mini is in the interpretation of it «the world’s most compact» version of the GeForce GTX 1080.
The cooling system of the graphics accelerator is well visible on images. As for clock speeds, they will be a bit tall for reference: the base is 1620 MHz Boost mode equals to 1759 MHz. Of course, in a card full memory GDDR5X — 8 GB.
Also Panasonic will showcase at CES 2017 mini-PC Zbox C series Intel Kaby Lake and with support of Thunderbolt 3. Another novelty will be the solution to connect to PC external graphics called Alienware External Graphics Dock. This device has one PCIe x16 slot, three USB 3.0 ports and one USB-C Thunderbolt 3.


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If you spent any time online this past weekend, then you likely came across at least one mention of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's luxurious Italian wedding.
The entire Kardashian-Jenner clan took part in a weekend of celebrations in honour of the newlyweds, but all eyes were on Kourtney's jaw-dropping short wedding gown, which was designed by Dolce & Gabbana.
The 43-year-old paired her bustier-inspired mini dress with a dramatic lace veil and mesh arm warmers for an unconventional wedding look that was equal parts romantic, dramatic and edgy — just like the bride herself.
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Kardashian joins other recent brides like former "Bachelorette" Jojo Fletcher and Lily Allen, who have opted for short wedding dresses while celebrating their special day.
As a bride-to-be myself, I've also been eyeing the trend as a fun way to shake up traditional wedding attire. While I won't personally be rocking a mini dress on my wedding day, there are several other events where it would fit the bill: a bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, or even a post-wedding brunch.
If you're also looking to hop on board the short wedding dress train, scroll through for 12 picks that will have you embracing your inner Kardashian for your next wedding event.
A former Brampton fire captain has been charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of his wife in the Blue Mountains. James Schwalm, 38, of Collingwood, was arrested on Thursday, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. The body of his wife, Ashley Schwalm, 40, also of Collingwood, was found inside an SUV after the vehicle crashed on Jan. 26. Bill Dickson, manager of media relations for the OPP, confirmed on Friday that the two were married. The OPP said in a news release
Kate Middleton’s sapphire engagement ring has a fascinating history. Although fans can easily spot the sparkler in the wild, the duchess hasn’t shared specific details about the accessory—including how much it’s worth. Luckily, U.K. jewelry company Steven Stone conducted a study where experts analyzed royal engagement rings from around the globe and ranked them based on their value. While Princess Catherine made the top ten—along with Queen Elizabeth and Camilla Parker Bowles—she didn’t top the


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A new poll by Travelzoo has hinted at the growing pent-up demand for travel among Brits, with just shy of half of the 2,000-plus respondents (49%) saying they would travel "anywhere" just to get away on a holiday.
The deals platform polled 2,009 members earlier this morning, and found that 68% were ready to travel within the UK now, and 39% internationally when allowed, with 17 May still the hope for a resumption of international travel.
Three in 10 respondents (31%) said they want their next holiday to count by visiting somewhere special or different; 87% said they had more or a similar level of disposable income to spend on travel.
According to Travelzoo, its members are looking to fit in three domestic trips this year, and one international trip.
Nearly 60% said they would book a UK holiday right now for this summer (58%), while 39% said they would be happy to book for this autumn and/or winter.
A third of members revealed they were fully vaccinated, with 92% having had at least one jab for Covid-19.
Nearly half (46%) of respondents say they would be prepared to pay up to £15 for a Covid-19 PCR test if it meant they could travel abroad this year.
Just under three in ten (28%) said they would spend up to £25 and 19% up to £50, but only 7% said they would spend more than £50.
UK residents returning from a "green list" country under the government’s new traffic light system will be required to take a test before their return flight to the UK, and a PCR test by the end of the second day of their return.
PCR tests can currently run to more than £100pp, although the cost has showed signs of coming down in recent weeks – Boris Johnson, transport secretary Grant Shapps and aviation and maritime minister Robert Courts have all pledged to cut the cost of testing to travellers.


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Good Riddance: 3D TV is dead
A report on Cnet suggests that 3D TV won't be the next big thing after all, as the last two major TV makers of 3D TVs announced that they would stop producing 3D TVs in 2017.
The revival of 3D in home entertainment began with the release of Avatar back in 2010, but the technology never really took off.
It required a TV capable of 3D playback, special glasses for every viewer, and a player supporting 3D as well.
Even if you made those expenses, you were stuck with limited options to use the 3D capabilities. Not all movies were released as 3D versions for instance, and the few TV channels that were offered in 3D were canceled early on when networks realized that viewer counts were lower than expected.
3D was a novelty item when it came out, but the novelty factor faded quickly. Apart from 3D movies being more expensive than regular movies, it also required you to have enough 3D glasses at home which was another expense.
Sales of 3D home equipment have declined since 2012. In 2016, 3D home video gear accounted for merely 8% of TV Sales, down from 16% in 2015 and 23% in 2012. Blu-Ray players capable of playing 3D content dropped from 40% in 2012 to 25% in 2015 and 11% in 2016.
If you are interested in 3D TV at home at this point, you are stuck with purchasing hardware from 2016 or earlier, or investing big in home theater projectors.
TV manufacturers have moved the focus away from 3D towards 4K and HDR, and adding smart TV features instead.
It seems unlikely that the decision will have an impact on theater releases. What is likely going to happen though is that fewer titles will be released as 3D versions for the consumer market.
There is also the question of whether 3D TV will see a revival in the future. I don't think that this is likely, unless technology changes significantly. This does not necessarily have to be the same setup as of today, as new tech, virtual reality or holographic projections for instance, may offer a better user experience.
For now though, it seems unlikely that manufacturers will start to produce new 3D TVs in 2018 or beyond.
Now You: What's your experience with 3D TV?Advertisement


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The story of Apple CEO Steve Jobs is one of the most familiar in American business — shaggy Bob-Dylan-loving kid starts a computer company in a Silicon Valley garage and changes the world. But like any compelling story, it has its dark moments. Before the iPad or the iPhone, Jobs, then the head of the short-lived NeXT Computer, sat down with Rolling Stone‘s Jeff Goodell. It was 1994, Jobs had long ago been booted from Apple, the internet was still the province of geeks and academics, and the personal computer revolution looked like it might be over. But even at one of the low points in his career, Jobs still had confidence in the limitless potential of personal computing. Read on to get Jobs’ prescient take on PDAs and object-oriented software, as well as his relationship with Bill Gates and why he wanted the internet in his den, but not living room. Steve Jobs died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56 on October 5th, 2011.
Read in full here:
This thread was posted by one of our members via one of our news source trackers.


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- Chinese companies have had to deal with a dramatic increase in cyberattacks in the past two years, according to a new survey from PwC of 440 China-based respondents. Since 2014, the average number of cyberattacks against companies in China and Hong Kong has grown 969%.
- Each Chinese company surveyed sees an average of seven attacks per day. While the number of daily attacks are on the rise, globally they have fallen 30% since 2015, though the average is still 13 attacks per day.
- PwC experts have blamed the increase in average attacks on China's quick adoption of the Internet of Things, which often have lacking cybersecurity standards.
Just like the rest of the world, China is struggling with cyberattacks that stem from insecure IoT devices. Botnets have recently been leveraged to execute large-scale and disruptive attacks. One of the most notable is the Mirai botnet, which was responsible for the Dyn DDoS attack. German authorities have also blamed Mirai for the attack against Duetsche Telekom.
But China is bucking the trend. Whereas other countries have seen a decrease in the number of attacks, China is suffering more than ever before. Chinese companies will have to pay particularly close attention to securing devices in the future to boost their national security posture.
In the U.S., congress is weighing best practices to prevent the production of compromised IoT devices and further botnets. But there are several challenges around managing IoT security, but not many solutions. One challenge is the fact that most IoT devices aren’t made in the U.S., so U.S.-based regulations would not be effective


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Looting, inventory management, and hiring mercenaries break up Jagged Alliance 3's involved turn-based tactical battles.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf will no longer be available for purchase starting on October 11, but you can grab it and 6 DLCs for as low as $1.
Here is what we know about Jagged Alliance 3 co-op support and whether or not multiplayer is planned for launch.
Publisher Hooded Horse has revealed that Xenonauts 2 is slated to enter early access in July.
Haemimont Games and THQ Nordic reveal the Jagged Alliance 3 release date and confirm modding tools for fan-made content.
Europa Universalis IV: Domination adds new mission trees and historical details for the likes of The Ottoman Empire, Japan, Spain, and more.


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I think this may be getting really ridiculous.. now THEY want to take away your coffee......
(and did you hear that our gas stoves are killing us?)
from The Gateway Pundit:
Researchers Claim Coffee Is Contributing To Climate Change
By Anthony Scott Published January 19, 2023 at 9:00am
First red meat, then gas stoves, and now coffee. Researchers from Canada are currently analyzing coffee’s “contribution to climate change”. The new analysis was published by researchers from the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi in a piece titled “Here’s how your cup of coffee contributes to climate change” In their analysis researchers concluded “Limiting your contribution to climate change requires an adapted diet, and coffee is no exception. Choosing a mode of coffee preparation that emits less GHGs (greenhouse gases) and moderating your consumption are part of the solution.” In their study, the researchers compared the climate impact of traditional filter coffee, Encapsulated filter coffee, Brewed coffee (French Press) and Soluble coffee (instant coffee). The study concluded traditional coffee has the highest carbon footprint. Many users on Twitter were upset about the new study. Take a look at some of their takes:
"I'll give up my extra coffee when the elites give up their private jets and coastal mansions -- which were supposed to be submerged in rising tides ten years ago."
from The Triune Times
@TriuneTimes on Twitter
Does anyone know of a recycling option for "reusable capsules" ANYWHERE????


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Delhi registered a record 7,046 EVs in December 2022, an 86% increase compared to the same month in 2021. ANI reported that 93,239 EVs have been registered in the capital since the launch of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy. Of these EVs, two-wheelers will contribute nearly 55% in 2022 alone, the report said. Furthermore, in December last year, Delhi reportedly witnessed the highest ever monthly EV sales among the states and union territories of the country.
Referring to the surge in EV sales in the national capital, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the city has been leading the way as the EV capital of the country. He also said Delhi is ready with the required private and public EV charging infrastructure, with 2,300 charging points and 200 battery swap stations operating across the city.
Also read: Size Matters!Indians ditch small cars for utility vehicles and brands
EV sales in the national capital have been boosted by the Delhi EV Policy, which is considered to be one of the most comprehensive EV policies in India, focusing on demand generation and infrastructure development through broad incentives for EV buyers and consumers. other stakeholders. The Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy was launched on August 7, 2020, with two- and three-wheelers identified as priority vehicle categories. The policy aims to rapidly adopt electric vehicles in the city, with EVs accounting for 25 percent of all new car registrations by 2024.
With record electric vehicle sales in December 2022, the city is close to two-thirds of its goal, the report said. According to Gahlot, the success of Delhi’s EV policy can be attributed to the three “i” or i3 models, namely incentives, innovation and inclusion. “We never limited ourselves to one segment, but had a holistic view to make it successful,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has designated ¥Rs 1,500 crore will be invested in the electrification of 56 stations to accommodate 10,000 electric buses by 2025.
First published date: Jan 5, 2023 at 12:19pm CST


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Your favorite virtual pet from the 90’s is back. The newest Tamagotchi model – Tamagotchi ON Wonder Garden is available for preorder now online at Walmart. It will officially launch on Jul. 26.
This new release is big news for parents who remember the Tamagotchi craze and their kids who will get to experience it for the first time.
The new model includes the popular features the original is known for, like feeding, traveling with and taking care of your own TamaPet, as well as next-generation features, like connecting to your friend’s Tamagotchi On device (compatible with all themes) and going on playdates, giving gifts, and getting married to build a family tree.
You can even drop your pet off at a hotel or daycare if you need a virtual break.
Brand new features include:
- A new Wonder Garden theme in turquoise and lavender
- Millions of My Tama characters each with their own unique look
- An exclusive Land with two exclusive characters and different games, a new home screen, room, accessories, meals and snacks!
Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden retails for $59.99.
All photos courtesy of Walmart


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Taipei, Oct. 26 (CNA) Taiwan is well positioned to develop electric vehicles (EV) using artificial intelligence, according to former Google Taiwan managing director Chien Lee-feng Tuesday, but he said the software and hardware sectors will have to work hand-in-hand to achieve this goal.
The rise of the EV industry has opened the door for Taiwanese suppliers of information and communications technology to car manufacturing, Chien, who currently serves as a member of the Audit and Supervisory Committee of Appier Group, Inc., said during a technology forum in Taipei.
In the past, Taiwan was unable to promote its automotive industry successfully, but the situation may be different with electric vehicles, as the country has a strong ICT manufacturing base and a leading role in the semiconductor industry, Chien observed.
However, Chien also noted that electric vehicles are very much reliant on software, and for that reason, Taiwanese manufacturers will have to work with young talent specializing in software development and artificial intelligence if they want a slice of the EV industry.
The development of electric vehicles in Taiwan is about collaboration between different generations, Chien said, calling on older-generations entrepreneurs who built Taiwan's ICT hub to work with innovative young talent specializing in AI and software development.
ICT companies need to find ways to attract young professionals, by showing them there are a good development opportunities or offering better salaries, Chien said.
more OCAC News, welcome to OCACNEWS.NET


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Sysco Partners With Lindora to Expand Its Supply Chain Capabilities
IRVINE, CA - Chasing after new partnerships and alternative outlets of advancement is the strategic key to growth. As one of the world’s foremost food distributors, Sysco is well aware of this. It recently announced its partnership with Lindora, a medically supervised weight loss and wellness company. This partnership will up Sysco’s food distribution footprint in Southern California, where Lindora is based.
Will Righeimer, Lindora’s CEO, said that the move with Sysco was a strategic decision to align with a world-class partner and leverage its best practice in logistics as Lindora makes plans to expand.
“Partnering with Sysco allows us to manage just-in-time inventory for all of our Southern California clinics, as well as for future clinics that may arise anywhere in the country,” Righeimer noted. “This partnership allows us to tap into Sysco’s expertise and keeps us focused on what we do best—delivering the best possible weight loss and wellness outcomes for our patients.”
ANUK will continue to chart the path of this ever-growing distributor behemoth.


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|The launching ceremony of the Startup Israel 2014 competition in September in Ha Noi. The organising board of the contest announced four winning teams on November 17, namely Chomp, BraveBits, Younet and Umbala. — Photo mangkhoinghiep.vn
HA NOI (VNS) — Four Vietnamese start-ups were named as the winners of the Start-up Israel 2014 competition on Monday.
The four Internet and mobile technology start-ups are Chomp, BraveBits and Younet, as well as Umbala.
Chomp, one of the nine start-up enterprises that receive support in the Silicon Valley Viet Nam Project, provides solutions on social networks to help marketers approach and interact effectively with targeted customers. BraveBits is completing an e-commerce product called hiSella that helps shop-owners track their customers on Facebook and get information on their best-selling products. Younet has developed a cloud computing-based website called SocialHeat to collect and analyse automatically the comments of users of social networks and other websites.
Umbala is a mobile application that helps create 12-second videos with special effects that can be shared on popular social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. — VNS


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When you think of KFC, you think of chicken, right? It was therefore inevitable that the fast-food giant had to halt operations in UK due to a shortage of chicken in 2018.
The brand tried to joke its way out of the poultry shortage fiasco, tweeting on the situation, “The chicken crossed the road. Just not to our restaurants…” this happened due to problems with its new food service suppliers at the time, DHL. They had no prior experience in chilled foods and therefore lacked the expertise to fulfil this role successfully. On the other hand, management issues stemming from KFC also led to the failure, such as insufficient due diligence and no contingency plans being in place.
The collapse lasted more than a week and cost KFC millions of pounds, not to mention customer loyalty. But it also had a positive effect that prompted many businesses to reconsider and innovate their procurement and supply chain management (SCM).
More recently, global supply chain PC shortages have affected businesses. This problem has caused the price of computer components to increase significantly and made it difficult to secure hardware products on time.
Here’s a look at some reasons why procurement and supply chain management can fail:
- Offshoring – meaning monitoring activity can be difficult
- Increasing complexity of supply chains – causing a lack of clarity about who suppliers are subcontracting to
- Cost pressures – causing companies to compromise on quality and/or ethics
- Geographic clustering – making manufacturers vulnerable to a localized disaster
- Modern communications – which can quickly damage reputations
- Just-in-time production methods – which have reduced the time to recover from supply chain failure
- Dependence on multiple suppliers – which can increase overall vulnerability
Oftentimes, these supply chain problems — whether it’s a company rushing into something or it’s a disconnect between critical nodes in the supply chain — can be remedied by bringing in the right kind of outside help.
Paragon Results has that fresh perspective you need. Contact us to learn about our highly effective procurement and supply chain management solutions and consulting services that will help you avoid supply chain management disasters.
Companies have proven; quality products and creative marketing are key components of success, but in the end, there’s no substitute for a robust and well-executed procurement and supply chain management.


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IT CONSULTANCY FIRM
MBA graduates from top colleges still in high demand amid challenging placement scenario
MBA talent is still a key driver of cos' growth story. Digital change & emerging opportunities were primary areas B-school grads were hired for this year.
Investors stock up on Infosys expecting a huge payback
NR Narayana Murthy had first alleged corporate governance lapses at the company in Feb...
What slowdown? MNC tech firms are hiring thousands
Accenture has 5,396 job openings in India, more than four times the openings in the US and...
2 pilots’ unions plan to take aviation regulator to court
Under a new rule introduced by the DGCA, pilots are required to serve a notice period of up to one year when they resign from an airline.
Why India must take China’s warning of a trade war seriously
China's exports to India account for only 2 per cent of its total exports. So even if Indians boycott all the goods imported form China, it will not make as big an impact.
Out of prison, former Goldman CEO Rajat Gupta finds returning is a hard road
Gupta’s presence at a dinner given by an executive of Jain’s stature was a sign that he was to be embraced by the pantheon of Indian business leaders in the United States.
ETMarkets After Hours: Infy at 4-month high; Apollo gets cold
Heavy selling in select bluechip stocks such as pharma, auto and banking capped gains.
Flipkart sees the big picture in TV
Ecomm retailer looks to drive growth in sector by focusing on partnership with Vu Televisions
Market outlook: Nifty50 may continue bounce, test 20 DMA
In all likelihood, the market will continue with its momentum on Thursday as well.
NCLT's maiden orders: 2 firms asked to wind up
The company approached the NCLT in February for initiating corporate insolvency.
How note ban showed Modi where exactly to look for black money
It was a big eye-opener for the government, which had not till then realised just how much a common method was being used to hide assets and launder money.
Here's how a missing column in GST return form is creating trouble for India Inc
Absence of a column in new GST form for claiming credit on sales before July 1 this year is causing worries for India Inc as the filing deadline comes near.
Goldman tops banks betting on a new type of Hedging
Goldman Sachs has invested in about 15 so-called fintech firms focusing on capital markets businesses this year, while JPMorgan has bet on nine, the report shows.
Financial regulators active in cyber security sans framework
India still does not have a cyber security framework and its National Cyber Security Policy lacked an implementation framework and is yet to be adopted by the industry.
Why Tata Sons' N Chandrasekaran has reversed turnaround initiatives by Tata Motors’ CEO Guenter Butschek
When TaMo CEO Butschek took over in mid-Feb last year, he quickly got down to executing his game plan, going for growth with more products and faster launches.


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Hanna is a freelance journalist and writer from a dead-end county in deepest England who has come to Berlin to seek her fortune and write about the future (see:3D printing). Avid internet enthusiast and night owl.
Create your own Raspberry Pi Airplay Boombox using a 3D printer, the Raspberry Pi Zero W and shareport sync and electronics.
At the 117th edition of the NAMM, 7,000 brands of musical instrument are on display ranging from the ancient to the new, but the one which really stood out from the crowd was the sleek 3D printed violin known as 3Dvarius.
Bark is a startup aimed at the dog mad and their pet pooches. With the BarkBox, customers receive new treats and toys for their dog every month. But, they're not just any old toys - Bark uses 3D printing to prototype its fun designs.
Grace Du Prez teaches workshops on how to create designs using the 3Doodler. However, learning how to use the pen can result in a lot of waste. Du Prez came up with an ingenious way of recycling the wasted filament.
Inspired by movies like Iron Man and Star Wars, researchers from Brigham Young University in Utah have developed a breakthrough in "free-space volumetric display". This holographic method is capable of creating full-color graphics in thin air using particles in space.
The approach to manufacturing cars may soon change drastically if one startup, Hackrod, has anything to do with it. The company wants to enable customers to design their own cars, making use of the latest technologies.
Trash collected from Cape York Peninsula by volunteers is being viewed as a resource and turned into 3D printing filament by professor Veena Sahajwalla and her team at the University of New South Wales.
The New Collar Workforce is a new book by AM industry veteran Sarah Boisvert which suggests that, in order to avoid a shortage of skilled workers, we should be training workers to be ready for the new age in manufacturing.
A Musical Arts grad student from the University of Texas - Austin has 3D printed his own six string violin. With the instrument, he can now play the difficult piece "The Dharma at Big Sur", which was written by composer John Adams.
Rocket Lab's electron rocket, with a 3D printed engine and composite components, successfully delivered satellites into orbit for its customers, Planet and Spire, on January 21st, 2018.
An Axial3D printed model of a kidney has helped surgeons in Belfast, UK, perform a transplant operation on a young woman which was both complex and life-saving.
Dushyant Ahuja created a wave lamp which shows weather and alerts, but, be warned, this project requires soldering, 3D printing, programming and electronics knowledge.
Latécoère, the French aicraft design and manufacturing group, is using Stratasys FDM 3D printing technology to speed up its production and development process. So far, the results have been positive.
CoCreateX is a community of makers who help each other out online. But its founders are now hitting the road to inspire school kids and locals with a bus decked out as a mini innovation center.
Tethon 3D is launching a new photo-curing ceramic polymer resin called Castalite which is suitable for 3D printing ceramic shell molds ready to accept liquid metals.
Polymaker is launching a new Nylon material called PolyMide CoPA. This engineering-grade filament is created with Warp-Free technology, which provides the mechanical advantages of Nylon without risk of warpage.
A Texas-based 3D printing enthusiast created a 3D printed crystal radio receiver which doesn't require a battery or plug. Now, you can too by downloading the 3D files and step-by-step instructions.


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Whatever happened to the separation between Church and State? I guess that this principle differs largely from one country to another, but I was really surprised when I read about the new law that was passed in Ireland on Friday. Called the blasphemy law, it places hefty fines on people who commit violations. One such violation is to publish or utter “matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion.” This violation requires a fine that can go as high as 25,000 euros (USD 35,000)!
At first glance, I can already foresee questions arising. What is the definition of outrage? What is a substantial number?
Don’t get me wrong – I am a person of very strong faith and religious ties. However, the whole thing about the government enacting such a law seems a little off to me. Atheist groups and other similar entities in Ireland are reacting a bit more – as can only be expected.
A group called Atheist Ireland actually went as far as to publish content on its web site. What they did was to collect quotes from famous and respected people – quotes which can be considered blasphemous under the law. Interestingly enough, the quotes came from figures such as Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and Pope Benedict XVI – all religious icons. By doing this, the group might just get in trouble with the law.
Do you think that this law will hold water? Is it still applicable considering the time?
Driving a stick shift can be a lot of fun. It offers a level of control that only top-end automatic transmission cars can provide. A manual transmission car also makes you feel involved in the driving since you have to make adjustments with your acceleration and your shift lever on your own. Manual transmission driving […]
Pet care is no longer as simple and as basic as it used to be, which is good news for animal lovers. The services being offered today by animal care or pet care services are increasingly comprehensive, even comparable to the health care packages offered to humans. As a representative from Creekside Pet Car Center […]
If you’ve ever been embarrassed to pull out your flip phone in front of a crowd of smartphone users, you may not need to feel ashamed any longer. According to a recent study of consumers published by CNN, vintage mobile phones are among the hottest accessories of 2014. When planning what you’re going to wear […]
There’s no doubt that Instagram has taken the world by storm. Each day, more than 75 million people actively use the platform and some 55 million photos are posted on the site. Photos shared on Instagram vary from the selfies and food to interesting places, nature scenes and quotes. Very important people including celebrities are […]
There is a large percentage of business travel that happens in London. There are a lot of global conglomerates and business interests that have headquarters in the city so it’s quite common that many business transactions and meeting happen in London regularly. Corporate travelers go in and out of the city on a regular basis. […]
Today children can benefit from digital devices that previously were reserved for their parents. Not only can smartphones and iPads capture photos and videos, create shopping lists, and serve as alarm clocks, they can also take some of the angst out of a child’s oral health regimen — and perhaps even cut down on emergency […]
Did you ever notice how you get a sudden burst of energy at the start of a new year? That’s no coincidence, nor is it a unique event. It’s a collective energy surge, which experts suggest is driven by hope. Maybe some people are hoping they’ll turn over a new leaf in the coming year. […]


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Most Popular in:
New in Segments (page 158 of 200)
Apr 19, 2012 | 11:43 AM CDT
Fast growth in the U.S. and Asia helped bolster company sales to €6.6 billion for the quarter, and LVMH-owned Sephora is making plans for stores in Brazil and Scandinavia.
Apr 19, 2012 | 11:36 AM CDT
International sales and the Neutrogena brand were bright spots for the company; however, overall company sales fell 0.2% from Q1 2011.
Apr 16, 2012 | 09:30 AM CDT
Information from In-cosmetics shows more face care products in the U.S. are being launched with SPF and sun care elements.
Apr 13, 2012 | 12:02 PM CDT
The fragrance and fashion company increased sales by 12% in 2011 and reached a market share of 7.6% in the selective perfumery market, capturing 25% of global growth in the category since 2006.
Apr 12, 2012 | 12:13 PM CDT
WNBC's Janice Huff will host the FiFi Finalists breakfast this year
Apr 12, 2012 | 10:17 AM CDT
Through a distribution deal with Infusion Brands, the skin care line will now be available through television shopping networks in Europe.
Apr 11, 2012 | 02:54 PM CDT
UPDATE: The deadline has been extended to May 11 for entries to the annual awards program from ICMAD.
Apr 11, 2012 | 10:14 AM CDT
Fine fragrances and consumer products see big sales increases in first quarter for the Swiss fragrance company.
Apr 06, 2012 | 11:43 AM CDT
Winners will be announced at a luncheon hosted by Mario Cantone in New York on May 18.
Apr 04, 2012 | 04:43 PM CDT
By: Shyam Gupta, PhD, and Linda Walker
Preventing skin aging by targeting multiple causes with a single bullet is of primal scientific and consumer interest. Treatments based on cellular anti-senescence can offer this single solution to multiple skin ailments, including skin aging.


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The first half of the year has been rough for many investors. High inflation and rising interest rates weighed heavily on the stock market, sending the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite into bear market territory. But there is a silver lining. Plunging stock prices have created bargains across the market, and while no one knows when the downturn will end, historical data suggests sell-offs make great buying opportunities.
Shortly after Netflix launched the first streaming service, Roku brought the first streaming player to market. Over a decade later, RokuOS is still the only operating system purpose-built for television, and it has earned a reputation for providing a high-quality viewer experience. That has paved the way for Roku to become the most popular streaming platform in the world.
In the first quarter, Roku powered 31% of global streaming time, nearly double the market share of the nearest rival, and Roku devices captured 47% of programmatic ad spend on connected televisions (CTVs), nearly triple the market share of the nearest rival. Additionally, while Roku saw engagement decelerate -- streaming hours rose just 14% in the first quarter -- it still outpaced the broader industry, which saw streaming time rise by 10% on average. That means Roku is still taking market share.
In the past year, revenue climbed 44% to $2.9 billion, and free cash flow rose 16% to $183 million as Roku delivered another strong financial performance. But shareholders should be particularly excited about the future.
Management is working to drive engagement through international expansion and investing aggressively in The Roku Channel, its own ad-supported streaming service. The Roku Channel is packed with free content: thousands of movies and shows and hundreds of live television channels. That includes several recently added NBC local news channels, which are the first local news options available through The Roku Channel.
Walt Disney and Netflix both plan to introduce ad-supported services in the future, and CTV ad spend is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030, up from $21 billion in 2021, according to BMO Capital Markets. As the most popular streaming platform, Roku is well positioned to capitalize on that opportunity. And with shares trading at four times sales -- a bargain compared to the three-year average of 15.7 times sales -- this growth stock is too cheap to ignore.
Ransomware attacks have climbed 80% over the past year as hackers continue targeting all businesses, from manufacturers and retailers to healthcare facilities and financial institutions. But the problem is expected to worsen. Damages inflicted by ransomware attacks will hit $265 billion by 2031, up more than 50-fold from $5 billion in 2017, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. That's where Zscaler can help.
Zscaler specializes in network security, cloud workload protection, and digital experience monitoring. Its platform leans on artificial intelligence (AI) to inspect web traffic, enforce security policies, and block cyberattacks. Better yet, the company operates the largest security cloud in the world, which theoretically makes its AI engine uniquely effective in identifying threats. To that end, research firm Gartner has recognized Zscaler as an industry leader for the past 11 years.
That competitive edge has translated into strong financial results. Revenue soared 61% to $970 million over the past year, and cash from operations climbed 39% to $264 million. But investors have good reason to believe Zscaler will maintain its momentum for years to come. Management puts its market opportunity at $72 billion, and the company should benefit as cybercriminals continue to target businesses across virtually every industry.
Additionally, Zscaler is continuously reinforcing its product portfolio to maintain its leadership. It recently introduced several new features, including AI-powered phishing prevention, AI-powered root cause analysis, and AI-powered security policy recommendations.
Shares currently trade at 22.3 times sales. That may not look cheap, but its average valuation over the past three years is 37.9 times sales. That means investors now have an opportunity to buy this high-quality growth stock at a serious discount.


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For just two minutes of your time, you can get a pretty decent savings on your next PS Store purchase.
For one week only, you can earn a special promo code worth $15 for spending on the PlayStation Store.
If a survey is to be believed, PlayStation owners might finally have the chance to edit a PSN ID.
Fans have been asking for some changes to PSN, and they're finally in the works.
A new batch of discounts are now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita owners.
A new batch of deals are now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita owners.
The PlayStation Network will be undergoing scheduled maintenance shortly.


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Walgens, the grocery store chain, has been trying to keep a lid on teen birthrates, with a recent marketing campaign in which teens are given a choice of buying one or two more diapers per week.
But the company’s latest effort to keep teens happy is to shrink the size of its diapers.
The new, smaller sizes will now be available in a handful of Walgarts stores nationwide, according to a press release from Walgreen.
They are available in Walgros T-shirts, tees, and bags, and are available online and in stores.
While the company says the new sizes are “better for teens,” the new smaller sizes are still going to be more than twice the size that Walgans’ previous sizes were.
“We are committed to offering a variety of diapers in sizes that our teens can find comfortable and fun,” a Walgroc spokesperson told The Huffington Post.
“While the new size is better for teens, we recognize that they can also find the new ones to be too big for their bodies.”
So what does this mean for you?
Well, if you’re in the market for a new size of Wal-Mart’s diapers, you might want to look into purchasing a new box of diapers.
You’ll likely end up paying for two new sizes of diapers per year, which would put you well into your teens years, at least.
More: Walgos new line of diapers is going to get smaller


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Thomas K. Arnold is considered one of the leading home entertainment journalists in the country. He is publisher and editorial director of Home Media Magazine, the home entertainment industry’s weekly trade publication. He also is home entertainment editor for The Hollywood Reporter and frequently writes about home entertainment and theatrical for USA Today. He has talked about home entertainment issues on CNN’s “Showbiz Tonight,” “Entertainment Tonight,” Starz, The Hollywood Reporter and the G4 network’s “Attack of the Show,” where he has been a frequent guest. Arnold also is the executive producer of The Home Entertainment Summit, a key annual gathering of studio executives and other industry leaders, and has given speeches and presentations at a variety of other events, including Home Media Expo and the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy.
Hulu’s uncertain future illustrates the conundrum that so often surrounds “flavor of the month” home entertainment options: One day they’re The Next Big Thing; a short time later, they’re on the ropes.
It’s a conundrum that in itself reflects the fluid nature of digital delivery, and the fact that for all its knocks and reports of imminent extinction, packaged media has shown surprising resiliency.
And why not? When the computer crashes and the iPad’s out of battery power, when the Internet’s down or there’s no Wi-Fi, the physical disc works just fine on any TV, on any Blu-ray player.
Indeed, one reason I believe the disc will stick around a lot longer than many futurists think is that in this ever-changing world of streaming, downloading and new and supposedly better ways to consume entertainment, the optical disc has become something of a comfort food, a dependable, reliable standby that never disappoints or lets you down.
Back to Hulu, for a minute: According to a recent report published in the Wall Street Journal, two of the video-streaming service’s three big corporate owners — News Corp. and Disney – have begun discussing possible next steps in the wake of the imminent departure of CEO Jason Kilar and chief technology officer Rich Tom.
There’s a bit of a tug-of-war going on, the Journal says: News Corp. wants Hulu to focus on its subscription service, while Disney prefers the free ad-supported business model. Hulu currently juggles both a free service and a subscription business, Hulu Plus, which has more than 3 million subscribers.
Hulu is tiny compared to Netflix, which has 27 million subscribers, just in the United States. It mostly streams shows from its parent companies’ TV networks and in the past has had a competitive advantage due to special access to content from Disney and News Corp. – but now they’ve got deals in place with Netflix, as well.
Hulu has invested in original programming, but faces intense competition from Netflix, Amazon and, of course, YouTube, where everything’s still free.
The big buzz among young people that surrounded Hulu since its late-2007 launch — and was generating quite a clash as recently as last year — seems to be gone now, as far as I can tell. The kids have moved on, as they inevitably do, with Netflix and YouTube on the tip of everyone’s tongue – and bookmarked on everyone’s computer.
Meanwhile, those old-fashioned discs are still seeing plenty of action, at least in households with which I’m familiar ...
Our home entertainment industry finished 2012 on a quite robust note — consumer spending was up for the first time in five years — and yet a dark cloud of uncertainty continues to hang over us.
One home executive in December smiled and said, “Well, we’ve had a pretty good year. I hope we can stick around for another one.”
She was only half-joking — our industry has frequently been in periods of transition in the past, but never before has transition been a perpetual state, as it is now. We’ve seen our industry go from VHS to DVD, from rental to sellthrough, from DVD to Blu-ray Disc.
But in the rapidly changing times in which we live, with consumers embracing multiple devices, multiple formats and multiple electronic delivery mechanisms — on top of that old standby, packaged media — it’s anyone’s guess what our home entertainment landscape will look like a year from now, much less five years down the road.
I was mulling things over the other day with a good friend who works in a senior position at a major studio. We agreed that our vision of an ideal scenario would be some sort of “one click” or “one tap” mechanism that would make consuming entertainment as easy as, say, opening the refrigerator — or turning on the TV.
Imagine a world where I can start watching a movie on my home theater system in the evening, but it gets too late and I need to turn the movie off and go to bed. The next morning, I tap my smartphone or iPad against my TV, and I’m able to pick up the movie at the exact spot I left off the night before. I watch a few minutes over breakfast, then drive to work. I’m really eager to watch the rest of the movie, so I tap my smartphone to my computer and the movie instantly appears on my monitor, so I can finish watching it while I pretend to work.
The movie’s done; I liked it so much I call my wife, who’s out of town visiting her mother, and tell her she’s got to see it, as well. I click once on my smartphone, and all of a sudden it’s on her smartphone, for easy viewing or a simple one-tap transfer to the TV in her mother’s house.
From a consumer standpoint, movie consumption would be so easy, so simple, so quick, that I’m sure the end result would be we’d all watch more movies. And that’s a big win for the studios, as well, since the more we watch, the more we buy or rent or stream.
The only way I can see us getting to this point is through UltraViolet. The concept of a digital storage locker, up in the cloud, that gives consumers instant access to purchased content anywhere, at any time, on any device is probably one of Hollywood’s brightest ideas, ever.
But we still have a ways to go. We still don’t have all studios participating, we still have too many different websites and pass codes, and we still have too many things to click, press and type in. So let’s streamline and simplify, and get everyone on board. Only then will that nasty cloud go away.
Kevin Tsujihara’s selection as the next CEO of Warner Bros. didn’t surprise me in the least. As the studio’s longtime head of home entertainment, he’s proven that he knows how to make money. Home entertainment is still the biggest source of revenues to the studios, and Warner Bros. has been tops in market share since even before I began writing about home entertainment more than two decades ago.
But Tsujihara’s selection was not just a matter of dollars and cents — not by a long shot. In a Hollywood ecosystem where imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery, but a way of life, Tsujihara has always been a maverick. He’s not only stood out from the home entertainment pack, he’s inevitably stood out ahead of it. He’s earned a reputation as a deliberate disruptor who’s never been afraid to try new things and if they don’t always work out the way he had hoped, well, that’s OK, let’s move on to something else.
And yet he’s not so much a gambler, a risk taker, as he is a shrewd and savvy entrepreneur — albeit one who has learned to operate in a corporate environment. He’s a leader of the pack who also happens to work and play well with others.
Tsujihara doesn’t so much roll the dice on emerging and even future technologies as he plays the field, carefully picking and choosing what he considers to have the best chance at success. He’s not looking to transform the business so much as he is out to reinvent it, rebuild it — in a sustainable way. And if one accepts sustainability as Hollywood’s true holy grail, then Tsujihara’s real trump card is twofold: He’s got the vision to see what lies ahead, and the courage, guts and acumen to follow through and get us there, in some way or another.
Tsujihara pioneered the concept of day-and-date video-on-demand. He was one of the first to recognize the power and potency of social media by first selling movies on Facebook and then spearheading the acquisition of social movie fan site Flixster. His latest triumph is still a work in progress: leading the industry charge to UltraViolet, a critically important next step in the ongoing evolution of home entertainment that allows customers to acces digital versions of their purchased content from the cloud.
UltraViolet at once future proofs physical media and creates a whole new business model for electronic sellthrough, which has been a slow go for the Hollywood studios.
Many observers have already said that in choosing Tsujihara as their next CEO, Warner Bros. board members made the best choice. In truth, they made the only choice if their studio — and others like it — are to survive, and even thrive, in the digital era.
I hate to be a downer here, but the writing’s clearly on the wall. Blockbuster, an icon of the home video industry since the early days of rental, is not going to survive much longer.
Dish Network, which bought the ailing rental chain out of bankruptcy in April 2011, announced it is closing an additional 300 U.S. stores, either ones with expiring leases or exceptionally poor performance. A year ago Dish announced the shuttering of 500 domestic Blockbuster stores. The latest closure leaves Blockbuster with maybe 500 locations throughout the country — a far cry even from 2009, when Blockbuster still had more than 3,600 U.S. stores.
Blockbuster has been earmarked for the grave for quite some time. Blockbuster made 24/7 Wall Street’s “Ten Brands That Will Disappear” list in both 2010 and 2011. Blockbuster defied the odds and managed to survive, but the latest round of closures suggests even Dish realizes now it made a bad investment. At the time buying the Blockbuster brand seemed like a good idea because everyone thought Blockbuster was associated with movies, but looking back, the Blockbuster brand merely reminded consumers of the hassles they had to go through back when renting a movie from a physical store was their only option — exorbitant late fees, return trips and not finding the movie they wanted.
Blockbuster made more than a few missteps throughout the years, but I think the biggest one was not jumping headfirst into sellthrough in the early days of DVD and thus allowing the mass merchants to take over that segment of the business. Another was taking a dismissive view of Netflix, and then belatedly trying to compete only after it became clear that the subscription model had caught on. Heck, back in 2000 Blockbuster even passed on several offers to buy Netflix for just $50 million, opting instead to sign a 20-year deal with a subsidiary of Enron (!) to deliver on-demand movies to consumer homes.
Blockbuster has managed to hang on for a lot longer than most observers thought, but its day of reckoning, I fear, is coming up. Even the proverbial cat with nine lives eventually runs out of time.
I read somewhere on a tech blog that only about half the products displayed at CES ever make it to market. That's a .500 batting average in the "promises kept" department, and quite truthfully I'm fine with that.
Part of technology's innovation process is separating the wheat from the chaff, and there's really no better way than throwing stuff out at CES and seeing how people react. Think of CES as one giant focus group, albeit one that's quite a bit more tech-savvy than the general public.
If something fails to excite the CES crowd, so the thinking goes, it doesn't stand a chance in the mainstream market. (Of course, lots of things excite the CES crowd that Joe Consumer couldn't care beans about, but that's a whole other issue.)
Walking through the show floor, here's a brief list of things I'd like to see materialize, drawn from a vast parade of products I either saw or didn't see and various press conferences touting, of course, The Next Big Thing.
• A website where I can get any movie I want, to watch on any device I want, in any format — so I can either stream it or download it right there, or order it on Blu-ray Disc, either to rent or to buy. Everyone's got bits and pieces; I crave the whole enchilada.
• A 3D TV that's simple to use — and one for which glasses are readily available, unlike the Panasonic I have hanging in my bedroom.
• A TV that won't be obsolete next year at this time.
• Universal studio support for UltraViolet. As we've seen with DVD and Blu-ray Disc, eventually everyone comes around. But for UltraViolet to really capitalize on its momentum and reach its full potential, we need everyone on board — now.
• Computers with Blu-ray Disc drives. My camcorder shoots in beautiful high-definition; to transfer it to disc I have to compress the files because my computer only burns DVDs.
• An iPad/iPhone with a removable battery (by me, not someone in Cupertino).
• A Blu-ray Disc player for my car (even though it's taken so long nobody watches DVDs in the car anymore; the kids all have their own tablets and UltraViolet accounts).
With the year rapidly coming to a close, my annual year-end analysis, which will appear on this site shortly, offers all sorts of interesting observations, discussions and dialog from industry leaders on the state of the home entertainment business and how we got here. The story ends with a look ahead, with projections on what 2013 may bring.
In this edition of T.K.’s Take, I’m going to add my voice to the chorus and share some of my own personal thoughts on where our business is heading — along with a handful of obstacles I think we need to fix or at least address, post haste.
I believe the bump in overall consumer spending we saw in 2012 will either lead to another slight uptick in 2013 or level out — but in any case, I don’t see any declines, at least not for a while.
On the physical side, disc prices are low enough that consumers are going to step up buying discs, particularly those who want the best-possible quality of both picture and sound and don’t want to mess with the logistics of downloading or streaming. I know, I know, digital is so easy that watching a movie is just a click away — but for a large percentage of the population, that’s one click too many.
And on the electronic side, the more options consumers have of watching movies, the more likely they will take advantage of those options. That’s why universal support of UltraViolet — the best value-proposition I think I’ve ever heard of — is critical at this juncture. So is studio support of Netflix and Redbox, both of which have proven themselves mighty fine little innovators capable of thinking beyond the physical disc. Stop fighting and make it work — and in the end, we’re all going to benefit.
I also see a return of young eyeballs to the movies. At this point everyone younger than 21 is still enthralled with YouTube and goofy clips and Web series. But inevitably the novelty’s going to wear off and I believe we’re going to see an uptick at the box office — provided, of course, that Hollywood continues to make good movies, as it’s done this fall with titles such as Argo, Skyfall, Flight and Lincoln.
So, yes, I’m feeling quite bullish right now — and yet, there are several areas of concern that could prove flies in the proverbial ointment:
• Pricing. The days of commanding a premium for Blu-ray Discs is over. Consumers need to be able to buy BDs for the same prices as DVDs, even new releases. The message two-tiered pricing sends is that DVDs are inferior and BDs are elite, so too often consumers end up buying neither. In the early days of the format it made sense, but no longer.
• 3D. It’s still too cumbersome and confusing. I have a Panasonic 3D TV, and a 3D Blu-ray player. I tried buying glasses for the TV but the guys at Best Buy gave me the wrong pair; when I went to return them and told them the model of my TV they said they don’t carry those glasses any longer. To top it off, I slipped Pirates of the Caribbean into the BD player and the screen said the player doesn’t recognize it as being 3D. I give up.
• Combo units: Our side of the business has done a great job with combo backs, allowing consumers to get a DVD and a BD in the same pack. Pity the CE industry hasn’t followed suit. I have yet to see a TV with a built-in BD player at Best Buy or Walmart, and am still waiting for a Blu-ray Disc player for my car.
• United we stand. When DVD was launched, not everyone was on board. When BD was launched, we found ourselves in a bitter and divisive format war. Now we’ve got UltraViolet. Can we all get in the same sandbox, for once?
That said, here’s wishing you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year, on behalf of the entire staff of Home Media Magazine.
Our industry is learning a lot about consumer habits this fourth quarter. With less than three weeks before Christmas, a few observations can be made that may impact how studios and retailers do business in the coming months.
For starters, the old debate about whether consumers are price sensitive when it comes to purchasing Blu-ray Discs and DVDs appears to have been settled, once and for all. The answer, judging from shopping carts filled to the brim with deep-discounted discs on Black Friday, is a resounding yes. Price it cheap enough, and consumers will buy.
Concerns about the “race to the bottom” that dominated studio boardrooms just a few years ago need to be put aside as we realize that in the new economy, it’s all about bargains. Keep in mind that consumers can rent discs for a buck at Redbox, stream movies for not much more over the Internet and access all sorts of free, or almost free, entertainment on sites ranging from YouTube to Hulu. They’re going to think twice about spending more than $10 to buy a movie, particularly one that’s been out for a while.
My conclusion: Price discs cheap enough and you’ll more wind up with more than enough additional sales to compensate. Would you rather sell 1 million discs at $8 each or 200,000 at $15? That’s what I thought.
Secondly, like sharks, consumers tend to enjoy feeding frenzies. The more the merrier is what we’ve seen this fourth quarter, with the most successful titles coming out a week or two before Thanksgiving and then being widely available, at a lower price, in time for Black Friday. Dating is still important, but go out too early or too late and you may miss your carriage.
December, in particular, is one of those months that used to be quite good for our business. But now, consumers bought so many discs over the extended Black Friday sales period that they need a few weeks to digest — although we don’t yet know whether we’ll see a rebound as Christmas draws closer, fueled by impulse buyers and last-minute gift shoppers.
The third lesson we’ve learned is one that some marketers, particularly the folks at Warner, have known for some time. There’s a vibrant and, perhaps, growing market for elaborate Blu-ray Disc and DVD gift sets, and this market isn’t price sensitive at all. Indeed, package the right movie or movies with a carefully selected batch of extras — both trinkets and content. Aim your marketing at the fan base, reaching out to them wherever they may be. Produce a limited quantity and make sure the fans know this. And, bingo, you’re going to score.
Packaged media is far from dead. We just have to keep tabs on what consumers want and give it them.
I’m writing this a few days before Black Friday, so I have no idea whether a threatened strike at Walmart stores will materialize or not.
But I will say that the negativity I see expressed toward America’s No. 1 retail chain — both in articles in the press and from various “friends” on my own Facebook wall — astounds and disgusts me.
I tend to shy away from political discourse in my columns, focusing on industry issues, trends and developments. But in this case politics and the home entertainment business intersect — a strike could hurt Walmart’s Black Friday business, and that could have a detrimental effect on DVD and Blu-ray Disc sales.
So here goes: I’m already not happy with the entitlement wave that’s sweeping our country — the belief that our government, our employer, owes us something.
I believe in hard work and personal responsibility. I’m happy to pay my fair share in taxes, and I’m more than willing to help people who through no fault of their own are in in trouble — people who have lost their jobs, people who can’t find jobs, families that are struggling to put food on the table.
But I have absolutely no sympathy for the Walmart employees who are complaining that they don’t get paid enough, or that they don’t get benefits, or that Walmart stores are opening too early on Thanksgiving Day, or various other aspects of the company’s labor practices.
If you don’t like working for Walmart, no one’s forcing you to work for Walmart. And I believe most workers understand this: They are grateful to have a job. If they want a better job, no one’s stopping them from advancing their lot in life, either at Walmart or somewhere else. They merely need to show some initiative.
But I don’t think worker discontent really is the factor here. The Black Friday protests — and earlier rallies — are instigated by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which has long had a bug up its you-know-what that Walmart is a non-union shop.
The American people owe unions a tremendous debt of gratitude. Unions revolutionized the workplace and are behind all sorts of labor laws that protect our workers. But throughout the years, unions in large part have become bloated bureaucracies that have lost sight of their original intent — to protect the worker — and are now out to increase their own power and might through forced payroll deductions and other onerous tactics, including riling up workers at non-union companies like Walmart.
I’m not saying Walmart employees don’t have any legitimate gripes. All of us who work for someone else do, from time to time. But there are ways to address their concerns, and pitching a fit by refusing to go to work and, instead, marching outside stores with signs and angry epithets strikes me as, well, childish.
As long as Walmart is complying with the law, there’s no cause for this hurtful, hateful disruption. Workers of the world, grow up.
For the fifth straight year, we are honoring the women in home entertainment — a smart, savvy and strategic group of executives who helped build and develop our business and are now working hard to sustain it.
A while back, one male executive who shall remain nameless asked me, “Why do you keep doing this? Women are part of the workforce — I don’t see any need to single them out.”
I gave him an earful. That glass ceiling? It still exists. Sorry, everyone, but sexism is alive and well right here in these United States, but too many people turn a blind eye toward it and pretend everything’s equal.
That’s the primary reason we celebrate our women each year — as do trade books in other industries, as well as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, both of which focus on the broader entertainment spectrum.
We honor women because they deserve to be honored. They deserve to be called out and recognized for their success, and presented as role models for other women — and as examples to society that based on talent and ability, equality should be a given.
Sadly, in too many other industries, it’s not.
The day after the election, someone on my Facebook page posted, “Hillary and Condi in ’16.” My response: “I could go for that. In fact, if they could somehow put aside party differences and run together, I’d totally support it. It’s hard to believe we’ve never had a woman at the helm of our government. I hate to make generalities and sound sexist, but in my own experience I’ve always preferred to work with women because, on the whole, I have found them to be smarter, more reasonable and rational, and harder workers than men.”
Within five minutes, I had gotten nearly a dozen “likes” — a great response, by Facebook measures.
So here’s to the women of home entertainment — and to the women of Home Media Magazine: editor in chief Stephanie Prange, executive editor Angelique Flores, account executive Julie Savant and office manager/assistant editor Ashley Ratcliff.
Succession planning can be difficult, but in the Entertainment Merchants Association’s case, selecting a successor for retiring president and CEO Crossan “Bo” Andersen should be a snap.
Mark Fisher, the association’s EVP and Andersen’s right-hand man, will serve as interim president until an executive search is completed and a permanent successor is in place, board chairman Bob Geistman told Home Media Magazine.
I sincerely hope the board picks Fisher for the job.
It’s not that Fisher deserves the job, after all his years of service to the EMA.
It’s that the association’s membership deserves Mark Fisher.
Andersen has done an outstanding job keeping the EMA alive all these years. He took over as president of what was then the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) in 1999 and over the years has done his best to keep the trade group relevant. Under his watch the VSDA broadened representation from its independent video store base to include major retail players like Target, Costco and Best Buy. Andersen also in 2006 orchestrated the merger of the VSDA with the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, bringing video game dealers into the fold.
As consolidation continued to grip our industry, Andersen wisely concentrated more and more on legislative issues common to all classes of retailer, including the fight against video piracy, protecting consumer privacy and battling censorship.
Fisher is poised to take the EMA to the proverbial “next level.” He joined the association in 1999 after many years in retailing, running a division of video stores for Stop & Shop and then serving as senior vice president of operations at publicly held West Coast Entertainment. During his retail years, Fisher earned a reputation for being a demanding but fair manager, being driven to grow both the top line and the bottom line, and being creative both in merchandising and marketing.
In recent years, while Andersen held down the fort, Fisher ventured into new territory. He’s led EMA’s growth in the digital distribution space, recognizing that collaboration among members toward standards and common specifications will help to both grow consumer digital spending and cut distribution costs.
That shows Fisher’s foresight and ability to flex with the industry, which coupled with his many close relationships among studios as well as retailers, makes him the ideal candidate to succeed Andersen on a permanent basis.
His experience, reputation, relationships and vision are exactly what the EMA needs in today’s era of continued consolidation, when financial stability is critical but so is our ability as an industry to develop and capitalize on creative growth opportunities.